20/04/2025
NEWS STORY
As Fernando Alonso bemoans Aston Martin's lack of progress, one wonders if the 'Alonso curse' is about to strike again.
You know the curse, the Spaniard joins a team that is showing clear signs of improvement, the two-time world champion thought to be the missing piece of the puzzle.
However, for various reasons, the team loses its way, Alonso moves on and "hey presto", the team begins to improve again, sometimes going on to claim a title or two.
Bear that in mind as Aston Martin slips down the grid and talk of Max Verstappen heading to the Silverstone-based outfit dominates the headlines.
Yet to score a point, and having failed to finish the first two races, Alonso admits that a decision on whether he remains in F1 very much depends on how the new regulations work out. However, in the meantime there is the little matter of 2025 and no sign of improvement any time soon.
"This is one of my favourite circuits," he told reporters after qualifying 13th. "Even from Alpine times, I've always been super-fast in Jeddah.
"Today I was pushing beyond the limits to reach Q2," he continued. "And then in Q2, with a scrubbed set of tyres, again, another very, very good lap in my opinion... P13.
"It's hard," he admitted, "because if I crash, everyone will blame my mistake... I'm not satisfied with the position we are in. You push beyond the limits to unlock some potential from the car."
Over the last few seasons the team has struggled to produce the necessary upgrades, and this year the situation is further complicated by the need to focus on the 2026 rules overhaul.
Then there's the fact that despite having arguably the best designer in the business, he is fully focussed on next season.
"It has been a difficult weekend," said the Spaniard. "We didn't unlock any pace. We tried many different set-ups, all of them had more or less the same outcome at the end of the lap.
"So, we really need something from the factory, not from the trackside. I think we ran out of ideas at the moment."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Jeddah here.